What The Angels Call “A Setup”

A friend, whom I’ll call “Gertrude”*, was recently doing some shopping in Target. She was looking for the shortest checkout line, when she saw an opening at a counter with no one waiting. She hurried on over and put down her two items, when she heard a nearby woman bellow, “Excuse me! My mother is coming and we’re about to check out here. You’re taking our spot!”

Gertrude looked around and saw her accuser standing nearby… and a wizened old woman slowly but steadily approaching with a walker. Ca-chunk, ca-chunk, ca-chunk, she came, like some kind of land shark.

Gertrude was in quite a twist. Here she was, minding her own business, and suddenly finding herself being falsely accused of intentionally cutting in front of an invalid! She was about to spill out a few harsh words, when the elderly mother said — in the sweetest way possible — “Oh that’s alright dear, you go right ahead with your things.”

Oh, man. Now she was not only angry, but embarrassed about being angry toward this innocent little old lady. Red faced and fuming, she said, “No, no, I’ll leave” and stalked off in search of a less challenging checkout experience.

So, what happened here? This, my friends, is what the angels call “A Setup,” and Gertrude fell right into it. She wasn’t just shopping in Target, she was the target. But let me explain.

Gertrude happens to be one of the kindest people I know, and in fact, works serving the needs of the elderly and infirm. She’s the last person who would ever cut in front of an old lady. She’s also someone who works diligently to improve herself from the inside out. But deep within her there’s still a fair amount of anger, and Gertrude’s Higher Self wants the anger gone.

And that’s why the angels just love to pull strings, and set her up. Again and again, she’s placed in situations that bring the anger inside of her up to the surface, so she can clear it. Anger, sadness, fear… let’s just call it our “stuff”. We don’t get rid of our stuff by sitting alone in a room meditating. We get rid of our stuff by living life, having experiences, and letting go.

Question: How do you stop being run by your anger, fear, sadness, etc.?

Answer: Take advantage of every “negative” situation. When your stuff comes up, recognize it for what it is and drop it. The more stuff you release, the less stuff you have inside controlling you.

It’s simple, but not easy. When stuff comes up, it tends to take us over, and “anger” becomes “I’M SO ANGRY”. Same with sadness, or fear, or whatever your favorite stuff happens to be. And after living with your stuff for a long time, it becomes so familiar you think it’s you. That makes it rather difficult to identify with any sort of objectivity.

That’s why outside support is so crucial. When you’re tired of being run by your stuff, and want get back in touch with the real you, FIND HELP recognizing your stuff and letting go. Preferably from someone who has done their own work, and can patiently and honestly hold up a mirror for you. You don’t need to analyze what caused your stuff, but you do have to take responsibility for it. It’s not glamorous, flashy work, and there are no shortcuts. But if you decide to do it, and stick with it, your life will change forever, for the better.

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